Italy returned migrants to Libya illegally-court

Italy violated human rights rules when it sent a group of Eritrean and Somali migrants intercepted at sea back to Libya in 2009, the European Court of Human Rights said on Thursday.

The Strasbourg-based court ruled in favour of 11 Somalis and 13 Eritreans who had filed a case with the body, accusing Italy of exposing them to ill-treatment not just in Libya but in their home countries as well if Tripoli then deported them.

The court also ruled that Italy had breached rules prohibiting expulsions of whole groups.

It ordered Italy to pay 15,000 euros ($20,000) to each of the plaintiffs and 1,575 euros to the group as a whole to cover the case's costs. ($1 = 0.7511 euros)

Italy returned migrants to Libya illegally-court | News by Country | Reuters